PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jewel Decker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Spanish (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricky Spanish has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Decker
vs
Spanish

211 cm
19
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

180 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jewel Decker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ricky Spanish!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Daniel Blasius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Spanish dives in and scores a takedown into Decker's guard.
Decker will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Decker pulls Spanish in to control the position.
Decker keeping moving, preventing Spanish from controlling successfully.
Decker trying to control the position.

Spanish drops back, looking for a kneebar! Decker looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Decker looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Decker!

Decker decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Decker darts in looking for a takedown but Spanish gets double underhooks and turns Decker into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Spanish rushes Decker and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Spanish's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Spanish avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Spanish fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Decker sprawls well initially but Spanish persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decker is trying to stand back up but Spanish is controlling him
Spanish controlling the pace.

Spanish is looking for a kimura but Decker is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Spanish to get the leverage.
Decker is pressing down on Spanish's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Decker keeping moving, preventing Spanish from controlling successfully.
Spanish controls from within his opponent's guard.
Spanish trying to control the position from guard on top but Decker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Decker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Spanish is fighting to break Decker's control of his arms but Decker is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Decker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Decker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Spanish waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Decker.

Decker clinches up with Spanish and pushes him back against the cage.

Decker jumps into guard, dragging Spanish to the mat.
Spanish wants to control from the top but Decker keeps moving.
Decker managing to control the position.
Spanish stops Decker from standing up.
Spanish must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanish trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Decker scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Spanish throws a nice looking combination but Decker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Decker showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Spanish.
Decker tries to clinch up but Spanish circles away and keeps his distance.
Spanish misses with the combination.
Decker really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Spanish is looking to clinch.
Spanish throws a head kick but Decker moves out of range.
Decker is looking to counter the offense by Spanish and move into the clinch.
A punch combination from Spanish misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Decker tries a head kick but it misses.
Spanish pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Decker or perhaps it was just good defense by Spanish, which made it look bad.
Ricky Spanish seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spanish throws a head kick that misses.
Decker lands with a thumping leg kick.
Spanish fails with an attempt to clinch.
Spanish moves in looking to clinch but Decker pushes him off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Spanish tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Spanish's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Decker connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Spanish scrambles back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ricky Spanish will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Spanish fails with an attempt to clinch.
Spanish looks to land a right hand but Decker moved out of range.
Spanish throws a lazy head kick

and Decker counters by moving into the clinch.

Spanish tightens his grip and picks Decker up, before dumping him to the ground. Decker manages to land in guard.
Spanish pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Decker is keeping the position for now.

Decker kicks Spanish off and gets to his feet.
Spanish fakes the leg kick and cracks Decker in the body.
Spanish moves into range and connects with a jab.
Spanish misses with a few strikes there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Decker throws a series of punches but Spanish moves out of range.

Decker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Decker decides to stand back up.
Spanish scores with a nice right hand.
Spanish swinging wildly here.

Spanish feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Spanish is breathing heavily.
Decker wants to stand up but Spanish is controlling him.
Decker keeping moving, preventing Spanish from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decker looking for a sweep. Not yet Decker, not yet.
Spanish prevents Decker from getting back to his feet.
Spanish content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Decker wants to get back to his feet but Spanish is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Jewel Decker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Decker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Decker keeping moving, preventing Spanish from controlling successfully.
Decker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Decker keeping moving, preventing Spanish from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Decker fails with the takedown.
Decker fails to land the takedown.

Decker gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Spanish to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Spanish lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Decker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Spanish thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spanish stopping the sweep attempt from Decker.
Spanish controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Decker wants to get back to his feet but Spanish is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Spanish scoring with punches to the head and body.
Decker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Spanish's guard.

Decker prevents Spanish from getting back to his feet.

Spanish is looking for a triangle but Decker pushes his legs off easily.

Spanish is looking for a triangle here but Decker uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Spanish showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Decker avoids a punch combination nicely.

Spanish feints and as Decker raises his hands in defense, Spanish changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Decker manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Spanish throws a big shot that misses.
Decker doesn't manage to clinch there - Spanish circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spanish misses with a few strikes there.
Spanish swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Decker forces Spanish back against the cage and clinches.
Decker tries for a takedown but Spanish manages to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spanish has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Decker is trying to keep an underhook but Spanish manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Spanish takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Decker manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Spanish keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Decker tries to break the clinch but Spanish is controlling the position.

Decker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Spanish throws a left and a right that both miss
and Decker counters with a left and a right that stings Spanish.
Spanish misses with a two punch combination.
Spanish fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Decker shoots in looking for a takedown. Spanish tries to sprawl out of it but Decker keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Spanish manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Spanish blocks a head kick by Decker.
Decker goes for a double leg but Spanish avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Spanish continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jewel Decker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Spanish avoids a kick to the body.
Spanish throws a series of punches but Decker avoids them all with ease.
Decker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Decker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Decker shoots for a takedown but Spanish saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jewel Decker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Spanish closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Spanish stands up and we're back to a striking position.
No joy there for Spanish, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spanish uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Decker has time to react.
Decker shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Spanish defends it nicely.
Spanish lands a head shot.
Spanish rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Decker moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Decker dodges the punch combination from Spanish.
As Spanish tries to get set, Decker tries to push him back and clinch up but Spanish manages to avoid the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spanish throws a series of punches but Decker avoids them all with ease.
Spanish misses with a two punch combination.
Decker changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Spanish tries to avoid it but Decker manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Spanish to the ground. Spanish escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Spanish wants to clinch up but Decker keeps it at a distance.
Decker shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Spanish but Spanish pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Decker swats away the attempt to clinch by Spanish.
Jewel Decker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ricky Spanish is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Spanish misses with a jab, cross combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Spanish comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Spanish winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Spanish!